Air or gas pump



H. G. EUDY AIR OR GAS PUMP Nov. 6, 1945.

Filed Dec. 12, 1944 Patented Nov. 6 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR on GAS PUMP Harnold Glen Eudy, Norfolk, Va.

Application December 12, 1944, Serial No. 567,833

, Claims. (Cl. 230-108) This invention relates to air or gas pumps,

than atmosphere pressures; which is of exceptionally simple construction and oflow production cost; which possesses long life and involves little or no maintenance attention or cost; which requires very little power for its effective operation, and which is thoroughly reliable and highly efficient in operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will become more fully apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in an air or gas pump embodying the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more ,fully describedQillustrated in the accompanying drawing and defined in the appended claims. l In the accompanying drawing, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the different views:

Figure l is a 7 central longitudinal section through an air or gas pump constructed in accordance with one practical embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line22 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the rotary blade element of the pump.

Referring to the drawing in detail, l0 designates' a casing which may be of cylindrical or other form and which, in any event, includes at least a cylindrical portion by which is carried at least one rib II which projects into said casing and which is disposed in a plane at right angles to the axis of said cylindrical portion.

The rib ll may .be either an integral part of the casing III or a part separate from said casing and fastened thereto in any suitable manner. In either case, it may be of any suitable shape in cross section and of any desired length. Moreover, it may be of any desired shape as viewed in plan. Preferably, however, its inner face is dis- .posed spirally with respect to the axis of the cylindrical portion of the casing by which it is carried so that it progressively increases in width from one end toward the other or wider end thereof where it terminates abruptly.

In the rib I l is a duct l2 which, at one end, opens through the wider end of said rib and which, at its other end, is alined with an opening I3 the side wall of the casing, 10, whereby it affords communication between the exterior and the interior of said casing.

A shaft I4 is disposed coaxially with respect to the cylindrical portion of the casing ID by which the rib ii is carried and is suitably journaled for rotation by any suitable means such, for example, as an electric motor l5 which may bedisposed either within said casing, as shown, or, if desired, exteriorly thereof.

Suitably fixed to the shaft [4 for rotation therewith is at least one blade It which extends radially or substantially radially from said shaft and which is of a length to extend almost to the inner face of the cylindrical portion of the easing ID by which the rib I l is carried. This blade may be of any suitable form but preferably is in the form of a fiat plate. In any event, it is of greater width than the depth of the rib II and has in its free end portion a recess I! to accommodate said rib with suitable clearness therefrom.

The rib II is of gradually varying cross-sectional shape at different points along its length so that throughout the major portion of its length from its wider end toward its narrower end it is of substantially equal cross-sectional area. Therefore, resistance to rotation of the blade l5 by the air within the casing I0 is substantially equal for substantially all angular positions of said blade.

Accordingly, assuming rotation of the blade l5 at a constant rate of speed in a direction from the narrower toward and beyond the wider end of the rib II, it will be apparent that said blade will impart a substantially uniform rotary motion to the air or gas within the casing ill and that this motion of the air or gas within said casing will induce a flow of air or gas from the exterior of the casing through the duct i2, into said casing. In this connection, the blade l5 obviously may be rotated at different rates of speed to produce, within the capacity of the pump, any desired sub-atmospheric pressure in the duct [2 or any desired greater than atmospheric pressure within the casing l0. Further in this connection, if the pump is to be used primarily'for producing high air or gas pressures within the casing [0, said casing preferably will be closed except for one or more valve-controlled outlets through which the air or gas under pressure may be released therefrom to perform any useful work, and the inlet end of the duct l2 may communicate directly with the atmosphere or with the gas supply so as to permit free or unrestricted flow of air or gas into the casing ID. If, on the other hand, the pump is to be used primarily for producing sub-atmospheric pressures, the casing I may be open to the atmosphere to avoid the building up therein of any pressure greater than atmospheric which might interfere with creation of low pressure in the duct I2 and in any vessel or the like which may be connected therewith. In fact, if the pump is to be used solely for producing sub-atmospheric pressures, the casing III obviously may be dispensed with entirely and any other suitable support for the rib II may be provided.

Instead of the pump including only a single rib II, it may include one or more annular rows of such ribs with as many ribs in each row as desired. Likewise, instead of the shaft I4 carrying only a single blade I6, said shaft may carry any desired number of such blades regardless of the number of rows of the ribs I I and the number of ribs in each row. In this connection and as illustrated by way of example in the drawings two rows of the ribs II, each comprising three ribs, are provided, and four blades I6 are provided for cooperation with said ribs.

If the pump includes more than a single rib II, the inlet ends of the ducts I2 may be connected together by a suitable manifold I8 and one or more air or gas inlet pipes I9 may be connected with said manifold. Alternatively, there may be a pipe I9 individual to each duct I2 regardless of the number of each ducts. In any event, the pipe I9 or each such pipe, as the case may be, preferably has therein a check valve 25 which opens toward the duct or ducts I2 to prevent loss of pressure when the pump is stopped.

Similarly, the casing I0 may be provided with only a single air outlet pipe 22 or with a plurality of air outlet pipes. In either case, said pipe or pipes 22, as the case may be, may have therein a valve or valves 23 for regulating and cutting off flow of air from said casing III.

While air or gas compressed in the casing I0 may be utilized for any desired purpose, the drawing illustrates, by way of example, a combustion chamber 24 connected to said casing to be supplied therefrom with air under pressure and also with liquid fuel to provide a combustible mixture to be ignited and to produce a high velocity gas jet for such purposes as jet propulsion of aircraft, supercharging internal combustion engines, operating turbines, and the like. In this connection, it will be noted that the chamber 24 contains a hollow element 25 over which flows air or gas delivered from the casing II] to said chamber 24; that the end of said element 25 adjacent to the casing I0 is closed; that a conduit 26 is provided for supplying liquid fuel through a nozzle 21 into said element 25; that scoop elements 28 are provided for directing relatively small quantities of the air or gas into the element 25 for intermixture with the liquid fuel supplied thereto; that a suitable device 29 is provided for igniting the mixture of fuel and air or gas within the element 25; that said element 25 is open at its end remote from the casing It] and that the said open end of said element 25 is spaced inwardly from the adjacent or outer end of the chamber 24. Accordingly, assuming the valve 23 to be opened, supply of fuel and air to the element 25 and operation of the ignition device 29, it is apparent that initial combustion will occur in the element 25 and that as the burning, expanding combustible mixtures issues from the open end of said element it will become mixed within the outer end portion of the chamber 24 with more air or gas flowing under high pressure and velocity from the casing Ill through said chamber 20 and will further burn and expand with the result that it will flow under extremely high velocity from the chamber 24 for such uses as have heretofore been mentioned.

If the ump includes a plurality of ribs I I, these preferably are of equal lengths and preferably are equally spaced angularly. Likewise, if the pump includes a plurality of blades I I, these also are preferably equally spaced angularly and preferably differ in number from the ribs II to cause the pump to operate smoothly.

To reduce friction between the inner face of the casing I0 and the air rotated in said casing, thereby to reduce the powder required to rotate the blade or blades I6, the free end portions of said blade or blades, to either side of the recess or the recesses I'I therein, preferably are connected by annular bands 30 which have suitable clearance from the inner face of the casing II]. Moreover, in order to insure as nearly as possible flow of the revolving air in the casing I0 entirely around the inner ends of the ducts I2, the wider end portions of the ribs II preferably are spaced from the inner face of the casing I0 substantially as shown.

Without further description, it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An air or gas pump comprising a casing having a side wall, a rib projecting inwardly from the side wall of said casing and having therein a duct opening through one end thereof and affording communication between the exterior and the interior of said casing, and a rotatable blade in said casing arranged to sweep over said rib and to impart rotary motion to the air within said casing away from the end of said rib through which said duct opens, thereby to cause air to be drawn through said duct.

2. An air or gas pump comprising a casing including a cylindrical portion, a rib disposed in a plant at right angles to the axis of said cylindrical portion and projecting inwardly from the latter, said rib having therein a duct opening through one end thereof and affording communication between the exterior and the interior of said casing, and a rotatable blade in said casing arranged to sweep over said rib and to impart rotary motion to the air in said casing away from the end of said rib through which said duct opens, thereby to cause air to be drawn through said duct.

3. An air or gas pump comprising an element having therein a duct opening through one end thereof, and blade movable over said element and away from the end thereof through which said duct opens, thereby to induce flow of air or gas through said duct, said blade having therein a recess in which said element is received during movement of said blade thereover.

4. An air or gas pump comprising an element having therein a duct opening through one end thereof, and a swinging blade including a free end having therein a recess in which said element is receivable during swinging of said blade, said blade being swingable relative to said element in a direction to sweep over the latter and to displace air away from the end thereof through which said duct opens, thereby to induce flow of air or gas through said duct.

5. An air or gas pump comprising a fixed element having therein a duct opening through one end thereof, and a movable element operable to displace air or gas from the area adjacent to said end of said element, thus to induce flow of air or gas through said duct, said movable element having therein a recess in which said fixed element is received during movement of said movable element to induce flow of air or gas through said duct.

6. An air or gas pump comprising a casing including a cylindrical portion, a rib disposed in a plane at right angles to the axis of said cylindrical portion and projecting inwardly from the latter, said rib having therein a duct opening through one end therein and affording communication between the exterior and the interior of said casing, a rotatable shaft disposed coaxially with said casing, and a blade fixed to said shaft for rotation therewith to sweep over said rib and away from said end thereof so as to displace air or gas from the area adjacent to said end and thus induce flow of air or gas through said duct, said blade including a free end having therein a recess in which said rib is receivable during rotation of said blade.

7. An air or gas pump comprising a casing including a cylindrical portion, a rib disposed in a planev at right angles to the axis of said cylindrical portion and projecting inwardly from the latter, the inner face of said rib being disposed spirally relative to the axis of said cylindrical portion, said rib terminating abruptly at its wider end and having therein a duct opening through its wider end and affording communication between the exterior and the interior of said casing, said casing having an air or gas outlet and being otherwise closed, and a blade mounted coaxially with respect to the cylindrical portion of said casing for rotation in a direction to sweep over said rib and away from its wider end to displace air or gas from the area adjacent to said end and thus induce flow of air or gas through said duct into said casing, said blade including a free end havend having therein a recess in which said ribs are successively receivable during rotation of said blade.

9. An air or gas pump comprising a casing including a cylindrical portion, a plurality of ribs disposed in a common plane at right angles to the axis of said cylindrical portion and projecting inwardly from the latter, said ribs being spaced apart angularly of said cylindrical portion and each having its inner face disposed spirally relative to the axis of said cylindrical portion, each rib terminating abruptly at its wider end and each having therein a duct opening through its wider end and affording communication between the exterior and the interior of said casing, said casing having an air or gas outlet and being otherwise closed, and a plurality of blades mounted coaxially of the cylindrical portion of said casing for rotation to sweep over said ribs and away from the wider ends thereof to displace air or gas from the areas adjacent to said ends and thus induce flow of air or gas through said ducts into said casing, said blades each including a free end and having therein a recess in which said ribs are successively receivable during rotation of said blades.

10. An air or gas pump comprising a casing including a cylindrical portion, a rib disposed in a plane at right angles to the axis of said cylindrical portion and projecting inwardly from the latter, the inner face of said rib being disposed spirally relative to the axis of said cylindrical portion, said rib terminating abruptly at its wider end and having therein a duct opening through its wider end and affording communication between the exterior and the interior of said casing, said casing having an air or gas outlet and being otherwise closed, and a plurality of blades mounted coaxially of the cylindrical portion of said casing for rotation to sweep over said rib and away from the wider end thereof to displace air or gas from the area adjacent to said wider end and thus induce flow of air or gas through said duct into said casing, said blades each including a free end having therein a recess in which said rib is receivable during rotation of said blades.

ing therein a recess in which said rib is receivable during rotation of said blade.

8. An air orgas pump comprising a casing including a cylindrical portion, a plurality of ribs disposed in a common plane at right angles to the axis of said cylindrical portion and' projecting inwardly from the latter, said ribs being spaced apart angularly of said cylindrical portion and each having its inner face disposed spirally relative to the axis of said cylindrical portion, each rib terminating abruptly at its wider end and each having therein a duct opening through its wider end and affording communication between the exterior and the interior of said casing, said casing having an air or gas outlet and being otherwise closed, and a blade mounted coaxially of the cylindrical portion of said casing for rotation in a direction to sweep successively over said ribs and away from the wider ends thereof to displace air or gas from the areas adjacent to said ends and thus induce flow of air or gas through said ducts into said casing, said blade including a free 11. An air or gas pump as set forth in claim 2 including a valve to control flow of air or gas into the casing through the duct, and in which the casing is provided with a valve-controlled outlet.

12. An air or gas pump as set forth in claim 8 including a manifold exteriorly of the casing connecting the ducts, and a valve-controlled air or gas inlet for said manifold.

13. An air or gas pump as set forth in claim 9 including a manifold exteriorly of the casing connecting the ducts, and a valve-controlled air or gas inlet for said manifold.

14. An air or gas'pump as set forth in claim 6 including annular bands having clearance from the inner face of the cylindrical portion of the casing and carried by the blade at either side of the rib-accommodation recess therein to reduce friction between the inner face of the casing and the air or gas rotated therein.

15. An air or gas pump as set forth in claim 6 in which the wider end portion of the rib is spaced from the inner face of the casing.

HARNOLD GLEN EU'DY. 

